The present disclosure relates to an electronic apparatus that is suitable for version management of firmware, a version checking system and a recording medium.
In the case of an image forming apparatus that is a MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) such as a multifunction printer, combined machine or the like, for example, there are models that include a printing function, a copying function, a FAX function, a data transmitting/receiving function via a network and the like as standard installed functions. These standard installed functions are respectively executed based on dedicated software, however, it is expected that functions will be even further increased in the future.
Moreover, in order to guarantee operation, it is preferred that firmware for operating the hardware in accordance with the respective standard installed functions be a combination of the latest versions of firmware. Therefore, firmware is updated as needed, and, for example, in order to improve the processing speed of updates, processing may be divided according to respective function. In other words, firmware that is divided according to respective function can be individually updated. Furthermore, each firmware has version information that includes a unique function name and version number, so it is possible to determine whether or not the firmware is the most recent by checking the respective version information.
In typical technology for updating firmware, a software-update-support program on the managing server side uses a guaranteed-version-combination table to determine whether or not the combination of version information of each software that is installed in a PC (Personal Computer) is a combination of guaranteed version information. When the combination is not a combination of guaranteed version information, there is a software-update-support apparatus that causes the software required for the combination to become a combination of version information for which operation is guaranteed to be downloaded and updated.